This season, Ridnour has averaged 12.3 points per game and shot just 32 percent from long range. He is set to make $4 million this season and has another year remaining on his deal, valued at $4.3 million.

It's interesting that the Knicks would seek to acquire another guard, especially since they do not need much depth there. Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd and Pablo Prigioni have all been serviceable, and New York's greater need is players who can play perimeter defense. At 6'2", 175 pounds, defense is definitely not one of Ridnour's strongest suits.

However, just who the Knicks would have to give up to satisfy both parties and remain under the salary cap makes the deal not at all worth it. Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN.com suggests that Ronnie Brewer could be part of the deal, but he is not much more than a wing defender.

Given how much help Minnesota needs at shooting guard, it's also a safe bet that GM David Kahn will not accept a package including Jason Kidd, whose best years are behind him at age 39. Minnesota wants youth and is unlikely to take a package that lacks some.

The sad truth is that the Knicks will likely have to give up second-year pest Iman Shumpert if they do acquire Ridnour, who is a poor fit for the team to begin with. The only other scenario that would work money-wise would be for New York to send Kurt Thomas, Prigioni, Brewer and James White to Minnesota, and Knicks GM Glen Grunwald is unlikely to give up that much in exchange for just Ridnour.

That all being said, if the Knicks are serious about acquiring Ridnour, Grunwald must be careful to not overpay for him. Shumpert is too talented to be given up for a one-dimensional veteran like the former Oregon Duck, and New York has a history of giving up too much talent in exchange for one main player.

Whether Ridnour is just one piece to try to acquire a defender or not, Knicks management should tread softly as negotiations continue. Just one wrong move could derail the team's hopes for the rest of the season, and New York has come too far and worked too hard to let it all blow up before the postseason.